My poor cob face planted today - an unexpected fall!!

cob&onion

cob&onion

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Something happened today which really got me thinking about the importance of a riding hat!!

Basically i was walking along a bridleway which is very stony with a friend - plodding along just chatting and very relaxed when suddenly my cob tripped on a stone and fell right down on her knees and face, how i stayed on i don't know!! her head just disappeared along with her shoulders, she managed to get up - it all happened very quickly. She has grazed her muzzle but nothing serious and no other grazes or cuts surprisingly considering the ground was very gravely and stoney :eek: Shes absolutely fine now but it was very unexpected and could have been really nasty!!
I always think that my cob is really safe - which she is but just goes to show that horses can trip over and have falls when you least expect it!! okay i did manage to stay on and didnt fall off but could of easy come a cropper and it would have been very painful on that gravel and stone surface!! :eek:i always wear a hat anyway despite being on a horse thats very very safe. Accidents do happen!!
 
I had similar with my old pony, she was as good as gold and nothing phased her, she was kept on an army camp from 6 months and was literally bomb-proof, but one day she tripped over nothing whilst we were out and ended up on her knees and nose and I ended up on mine next to her :eek: She wasn't as lucky as your boy though and ended up with scarred knees. :( It does show though that no matter how good or safe your horse is accidents happen.
I hope your boy recovers quickly.
 
similar happened to me recently on my girl, ambling along chatting to a friend. That said , im always cautious and always wear a hat and BP every time i ride.
 
My boy has tripped a couple of times just in walk, fortunately both times I managed to stay on and his Knees were fine. Now I won't hack him unless he has knee boots on!
 
My friend was in a field sitting on a standing still horse, long reins, other non moving horse around them. Something startled the horse, she gave a little jump, you know the kind, and friend found himself on the ground with a broken arm. You can take nothing for granted when you're on a horse.
 
Well done for staying on, a horse I was riding did this and I don't know how I managed to stay on either, I just remember really straining my stomach muscles from staying upright, hurt for days! Yep I will always wear a hat no matter what.
 
Agree with the 'keep them moving forward' posts. My lad tripped in the school once, in walk. I didn't have a saddle on so came straight off and ended up with concussion!
 
I had a filly at work trip over with me not long after she'd been broken in. She got very upset as a big string of horses came trotting past and even long after they'd gone she was being silly, bucking and leaping around. Put her in front to try and get her concentrating when a pigeon flew out the trees and she tripped over her own feet and went splat :o As she went down she pulled the reins right out my hands so I was sat there waiting for her to get back up (which felt like forever, think she was embarrassed :p ) holding onto nothing hoping that when she did get up that when she did get up that she wouldn't ****** off! Luckily she got herself up and stood looking a bit shocked whilst I picked up my reins and breathed! She must have frightened herself as she was good as gold for the rest of the ride and luckily she didn't hurt herself but it could've been nasty for both of us!
 
Knee boots and a decent contact - I know of 3 horses from our yard (25 horses) who have tripped and fallen on road/track in the past 2 years!
My own cob is the trip king (usually if not concentrating - so ride on a contact at all times) - he went down a few years back not on a road but a stony bridle way - I thanked my lucky stars I have had knee boots on him for hacking for over 6 years! They saved his showing career that day that's for sure!

I use the Westropp knee/brushing boots so you can canter in them.
One of the horses that fell from my yard had to have 8 weeks box rest in the summer and the flies drive her crazy - that's before the joint oil she lost from one knee and the scarring on both knees :(
 
Knee boots!!! I wont hack anything without them. This sort of thing can happen to anyone and that little extra bit of protection can make all the difference! Im glad your horse is ok!
 
It's how I got my collarbone broken:o mare tripped in trot but her other foot slipped sideways on the grass when she tried to balance and I went splat:o Who'd have thought dressage could be dangerous. Wouldn't mind but I'd stayed put another time when the horse i was on actually went down on both knees in canter :rolleyes:
 
Our Clydie X will trip when he thinks he can get away with shlepping along on the forehand and I had the same thing happen to me when he went onto his knees. Caught me totally unawares, I flipped forwards and bashed my face on the top of his neck and had a fat lip! I did invest in some knee boots but I've been a little lazy about using them lately :o
 
I don't know if it is the same in UK as in NZ but according to ACC* the majority of horse falls happen in walk! We tend not to pay as much attention as we do at faster paces.

One of the children I used to teach many years ago lost her mother in a similar situation, they were walking around the paddock, her horse tripped and fell crushing her to death.

Same child broke her leg - walking along the road, eating an ice cream and chatting with a friend, a duck flew up out of the water race (man made irrigation stream in Canterbury NZ), frightened the pony who shot sideways then took off dragging rider for a while.

*The Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) provides comprehensive, no-fault personal injury cover for all New Zealand residents and visitors to New Zealand.
 
I've had two really nasty full on rotational falls recently. I would love to say we were jumping the dizzying heights of badminton but no. We were jumping 2ft max both times on green cobs.

Luckily the horses and I were unhurt both times but it just goes to show even when jumping tiny fences you need a hat and someone on the ground.
 
Yes there will be no more ambling along for the cob!!
Just might invest in some of those knee boots too - alot of the tracks round here tend to be stony.
 
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